flexibility

[Thomas]

Does anyone have any tips on increasing flexibility? Strength and speed are no problem for me. Yet I have always had trouble with flexibility. My kung fu master has taught me some stretches. But I just cant achive that full split, and it is driving me insane! Are there any foods you recommend? Has anyone here achieved a full split? And if so how long did it take you? Help would be very appreciated.

[labouche]

I'm pretty close to doing a full split...not quite though. Stretch everyday farther than you think you can. Seriously do it until you can't handle the pain any longer and then hold that for a minute.
good luck,
elijah

[Thomas]

Ok will do. It kind of angers me that girls can be so flexible so easily. It really is devastating in a fight to kick your enemy in the head. And im sure it is a power upgrade to lunging. The only thing holding me back is a fear of tearing a muscle, because so many people I know have. Oh well. MIght as well get started now,

[prototoast]

Originally posted by Thomas
Ok will do. It kind of angers me that girls can be so flexible so easily. It really is devastating in a fight to kick your enemy in the head. And im sure it is a power upgrade to lunging. The only thing holding me back is a fear of tearing a muscle, because so many people I know have. Oh well. MIght as well get started now,

I'm a large, un-athletic male and I can do a full split. If you could go back in time and stretch a lot more while going through puberty, that would help the most. That's when most guys start to develop a lot of muscle and lose flexibility.

Just practice stretching. Try to do it when you wake up. Just work on reaching your current max and feeling more comfortable with that. Then you can slowly progress. Don't go for instant results. Just a little stretching every day and my slow progress. You won't notice it right away, but over time, it will make a difference.

[Zelda]

Sorry all girls aint flexible. Am living testement to that. Sure I have double joints galore, but I cant generally get half a split let alone a full one.

[labouche]

Originally posted by prototoast
Don't go for instant results. Just a little stretching every day and my slow progress. You won't notice it right away, but over time, it will make a difference.

I have to disagree a little there. I'd say as far as stretching goes, go for instant results. I didn't know how hard to stretch until I moved to NY and my new coach started really pushing me. I fealt like my muscles were going to tear yet they didn't and after the first time I stretched with him I was already more flexible. This may sound stupid (it probably is stupid) but don't listen to the profesionals....stretch even farther than you think you can take. Well, you have to find a ballance. Don't really tear anything, but come as close as possible.
elijah

[Thomas]

Just practice stretching. Try to do it when you wake up.

I see. I can catch my body off gaurd. And if im tired the pain wont bother me as much as it would later on in the day. Thanks.

Sorry all girls aint flexible

Thanks Zelda. I just knew it couldnt be true. It wouldnt be fair!

Don't really tear anything, but come as close as possible.

Thanks so much! This is what I was wanting to hear. Its just like push ups and sit ups! You chase the burn. Now I must chase the tear. Now I know how hard I can push myself and not fear tearing a muscle.

[Prometheus]

Originally posted by Thomas
Thanks so much! This is what I was wanting to hear. Its just like push ups and sit ups! You chase the burn. Now I must chase the tear. Now I know how hard I can push myself and not fear tearing a muscle. [/B]

...because ruptured tendons and ligaments are so much better?

Just out of curiosity, what advantage does circus level flexibility provide anyway? Full range of motion, yes, but I have yet to see someone fence with one leg behind their head. I would also make sure that you are stretching the structure that you think you are stretching.

Standard Disclaimer:
This is not medical advice.
I am not qualified.

[labouche]

Originally posted by Prometheus
...because ruptured tendons and ligaments are so much better?

Just out of curiosity, what advantage does circus level flexibility provide anyway?

A really big, long lunge.

[glowstix]

i think stretching twice a day works...for me it did. as far as how far to take it, use you intuition. you'll know what you limit is when you get there. once you get there you have to hold for 15-30 seconds. its really tough stretching in the morning; it hurts a lot more but it pays off in the end. try yoga. you'll learn tons of ways to stretch your entire body you really feel great.

[Kismet]

I'm just here to say that all girls aren't flexible, thankyouverymuch. I can't even do splits on my good leg. Almost, but not quite. As for my bad leg...well...that's just plain embarrassing.

[sabreur]

Originally posted by Prometheus
...because ruptured tendons and ligaments are so much better?

Just out of curiosity, what advantage does circus level flexibility provide anyway? Full range of motion, yes, but I have yet to see someone fence with one leg behind their head. I would also make sure that you are stretching the structure that you think you are stretching.

Standard Disclaimer:
This is not medical advice.
I am not qualified.

Flexibility decreases the risk of injury (as well as allowing a long lunge, as someone else noted). But I would rate the reduced risk of injury as significantly more important.

MR

[oiuyt]

If you're going to stretch make sure your body's warm first. Stretching right out of bed in the morning is NOT the brightest idea in the world.

-B :)

[MyraTrue]

I'm sorry, but I must agree with whoever asked this:

WHAT IN THE WORLD do you think you'll get out of being that flexible? A really long lunge? Guess what, they're SLOW. Once you're out there, you're stuck. and if anyone has half a brain in their head, they're going to retreat just out of range, and then POP you a good one once your lunge has ended. Likewise, they're a really bad habit thats nearly impossible to break once you get going. A suicide lunge.

So I AM one of those "flexible women". I CAN do the splits, and to my emberassment, have done them many times in tournament on slick floors. Worse yet, I can do them anytime and anywhere, and I don't need to stretch. Being that flexible hasn't really done much for me besides provide for interesting "drunken monkey" style of fencing. And to top that off, you can only dislocate joints so many times in a tournament and still be able to walk the next day. It munches up your joints... I hope to still walk when I hit 30.

But if you ARE going to stretch, you DO want to do it warm. Jog a lap, do some footwork, something. But the stretching will do you a lot more good while warm than cold out of bed in the morning.

If you DO really want to be able to kick someone in the head or do that long lunge, make sure its done sparingly. Its not a surprise when every lunge you make ends up on the floor. It IS a surprise when you hit someone from "out of range" for that final point in epee. Good luck.

[The0ne]

Personally, being the world's most inflexible person, I don't really have much to add, except for in response to MyraTrue's comment about long lunges. . . If you build muscle at the same time you can increase the length of your lunge while keeping the recovery time close to the same. Obviously the rules of physics make it impossible to do a really long lunge in the same time as a shorter one, but I aim for having my front thigh paralell (not even going to TRY to spell that correctly, just pronounce it how I spelt it and I think it'll make sense. . . ) to the ground.

[Rolls]

Also, what type of stretches you do makes a difference. If you want to kick to the head, practice kicking to the head. If you want a deep, long lunge, practice your lunge.

For fencing, I like to stretch in the lunge position. Also, it helps to start off slowly. Do some short lunges, then slowly increase the distance of the lunge until you're lunching as far as you can. If you do this alot, then the distance of your lunge will increase as you become more flexible.

Beware though, you can become more flexible with respect to lunging without becoming more flexible in any other aspect. If you want to do splits, then you should practice splits.

Rolls.

[JAySE SUiCiDE]

Originally posted by Rolls
Also, what type of stretches you do makes a difference. If you want to kick to the head, practice kicking to the head. If you want a deep, long lunge, practice your lunge.

For fencing, I like to stretch in the lunge position. Also, it helps to start off slowly. Do some short lunges, then slowly increase the distance of the lunge until you're lunching as far as you can. If you do this alot, then the distance of your lunge will increase as you become more flexible.

Beware though, you can become more flexible with respect to lunging without becoming more flexible in any other aspect. If you want to do splits, then you should practice splits.

Rolls.

also, i've found a pretty good one to stretch your groin.

stead of the butterfly one, which i dont find to be effective, stretch both of your legs out to the side while you're sitting down, then instead of going down and reaching to the middle, bend in one leg, and then reach towards the center of where your 2 feet would be. it'll stretch the groin area of the leg that's still straight.

and for those who say stretching might not be important, it is when you pull your groin while lunging during a lesson

~Jes

[Prometheus]

I just want to clarify that I think stretching is important. I just question how usefull it is to be of exceptionally flexible as opposed to properly warmed up as to not cause injury and retain full range of motion while building muscle.

[Thomas]

Oh my I didnt mean for this to turn into a debate. Well anyway I have been following all of your advice and have been pushing my limits. I find my point of pain and then hold it for 2 minutes. It has only taken me 1 time to become more flexible. I did it for my second time today. And im happy to say im almost there! I love that feeling when its the last 10 seconds and my entire lower body is violently shaking and my breathing gets heavy and im glaring at the second hand on my watch WOOOO! Its fun.

Ok to add to this little debate I have spawned. The purpose of flexibility is NOT what some of you have it to made out to be. The purpose is NOT to give you "more distance" on your lunges or kicks.
For kicking flexibility provides more accuracy and better control. This also allows you to channel more chi "energy" through the muscles in your legs to the point of impact.
For fencing. Flexibility is a bonus to retreating. It allows you to recover ground more quickly. And in the case of lunging it gives you more power, which compliments your accuracy.
Also sabreur made a good point.

[Delmont]

I do want to add one thing. Once you start a stretching routine do not stop. I made that mistake and ended up less flexable than when I started and now I am trying to get it back.